No Matter the Cost
by Aquatic-Idealist
Summary: Wu's Last Prime Minister keeps on fighting, even when all hope is lost. May his memory live on.


No Matter the Cost

The hordes of Jin came crawling down, smashing through their battlements and taking countless lives. He stood there, sick of the carnage, yet, as his friends fled, too cowardly to fight for their nation in its final moments, Zhang Ti stood, valiantly, ready to die.

Zhuge Xing had asked him before he ran away: "Why do you fight? Wu is gone. The nation we grew up in will be no more in a matter of hours, yet you're raising that sword and preparing yourself to engage the enemy. You barely have any troops left, and yet you insist on fighting Du Yu and Wang Jun."

"I was born in Wu. I was raised a Wu citizen. For me not to die defending my country from this aggressor is sinful. Wu will be gone, no doubt, but as long as it exists, I will fight for it, no matter the cost." Zhang Ti replied, staring at the coward with cold eyes.

Zhuge Xing laughed half-heartedly and replied: "Your funeral." Turning on his horse, he rode away.

The Prime Minister of Wu led his band of troops to engage General Zhang Qiao of Jin. Surrounding and conquering the villain, Zhang Qiao begged for his life, and even though his second in command, Shen Ying, advised that he kill the man, Zhang Ti decided against it, ordering the Jin officer to remain where he was. After all, if he did betray them, he'd have no where to go.

Zhang Ti continued to march forward, and the enemy banners began to sprout all around him. Drawing his sword, he yelled: "We shall fight till the last breath today, and history shall remember us as heroes!"

He slashed through the enemy lines, routing Yang Ji's force and forcing Jin's third in command to retreat. The Jin army was shocked at the bravery of this thin, frail-looking scholar, who, with sword in hand, was a demon in the ranks of a falling Empire.

With Yang Jin beaten back, Jin's commander in chief, Du Yu, made his move. The two commanders stood facing each other, and Du Yu spoke. "To ask you for surrender now would be an insult to your memory, but even if Sun Hao disregards your death, remember this, warrior, that you will be honored among your enemies. Though you've been defeated, you are a worthy successor to lords Zhou Yu and Lu Xun."

"If only Lu Kang were alive..." Zhang Ti nodded. "Then you Jin bastards would be slain, but I ask you, Du Yu of Luoyang, to spare the people of Wu. They are innocent, forced under the reign of that insult to the Sun line, and though Sun Hao is too incompetent to ensure their safety, I ask that you spare as many of them as possible."

"I'd expect such a last wish from you. I will grant it as best I can. Now, goodbye, Zhang Ti of Wu."

"Farewell, cur of Jin!" Zhang Ti charged forward, his sword strokes catching Du Yu off guard. Passion was a powerful weapon for a warrior indeed...

But though passion was powerful, skill and calmness were even greater. After several bouts, Du Yu swung his blade and sliced Zhang Ti's hand, forcing him to drop his blade.

"You're finished." Du Yu looked deep into Zhang Ti's eyes.

"Not yet." Zhang Ti sneered as he gave Du Yu a punch to the face with his other hand. But Du Yu, only fazed by the blow, swung his blade and hacked off the Prime Minister's head.

------------

Hours later, a small group of surrendered Wu officers and Du Yu stood before a small pit, where the body of one of Wu's finest officers was being lowered. Du Yu mumbled as he looked at the corpse. "Here lies a man who deserved much better, but was born in such a horrible time. May heaven be kind to Zhang Ti." Turning to his troops, the general ordered them to give the Wu minister an appropriate farewell, and he walked away, sorrow in his heart that he had to kill such a fine man.

The people of Wu had a ballard for Zhou Yu's final successor:

_"Jin's army banners waved on Bashan Mountains  
And trusty Zhang Ti in Jiangling fighting died;  
He accepted not that the kingly grace was spent,  
He rather chose to die than shame his side."_

May we never forget that honorable man.


End file.
